


This is the Way (even if it breaks my heart)

by Tune33



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Mandalore, Mandalorian, Mandalorian Culture, Mando'a, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21557539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tune33/pseuds/Tune33
Summary: Post episode 3.Where do you go when you've stolen back a bounty? The Mandalorian can only be grateful that The Way means support from his brethren. He just didn't anticipate being front row to Paz Vizla's heartache.
Relationships: Paz Vizla/Original Female Character
Comments: 24
Kudos: 175





	1. There's one way out (so you better take it)

**Author's Note:**

> My Mandalore knowledge is limited to my ability to Google search so apologies to any true fans for my butchering of the culture. I couldn't get this idea out of my head so here it is. 
> 
> I'm also going with the name that Pedro Pascal dropped (Dyn Jarren), because using "the Mandalorian" when you have multiple of them in scene is confusing.

" _I gotta get one of those,"_ he'd muttered when he'd seen Paz's jet pack. The bulky Mandalorian had looked almost graceful when he'd flown off from his position next to the _Razor Crest,_ and Dyn couldn't help but admire the power. New armor was the least of his concern now though.

He glanced back at the Child sleeping in the seat behind him. It had played with the ball he had given it as they shot out of the planet's atmosphere and into the deep realms of space, but now it had curled up in exhaustion. If he was being honest, part of him wished that he could do the same. He had no plan other than to take the Child back from the imperial scum. What to do with it now was a mystery.

The Mandalorian stretched out his arms a bit, shaking his hands to release some of the tension and rolling his neck even as his eyes remained trained on the screen in front of him. So far there was no sign of pursuit from the rest of the bounty hunters, but he couldn't be certain that none would escape the Tribe. He knew that his actions had put the Tribe in jeopardy, although Paz had seemed unconcerned at the idea that the Enclave would have to be relocated. (His lack of concern was no surprise, really, since Paz had been so vocal about wanting to come out of hiding. And about his feelings on working for those previously affiliated with the galactic empire. And about his disgust with Dyn in general.) _This is the Way_ , he reminded himself, repeating the mantra that frequently looped through his mind. _The Way_ wouldn't help him figure out where to hide this child though. 

As if in answer to his thoughts an incoming missive pinged on his dash. He took a steadying breath ( _by all the warriors in Manda please let this be an ally, not an enemy)_ and opened the message. It was short, and brusque in tone, but baring the coordinates at the beginning it was written completely in Mando'a and his shoulders sagged in relief.

**Take the child here.**

**I will meet you.**

**Tell them I sent you.**

_**This is the** _ **_Way._**

He couldn't help but be grateful that Paz Vizla was such a strong follower of the _Resol'nare._


	2. Of all the corners of the world (this one holds you)

The trip to the offered coordinates had been anything but smooth. Twice they had needed to stop to refuel both the ship and the Child (he'd quickly found out that a hungry force-sensitive juvenile was not something he wanted on his ship). Subsequently, twice they had been forced to fight their way out of cantinas when they'd been found by bounty hunters carrying the same flashing beacons he had once used to find the child as well. He was uncertain whether it was the client or the doctor who had relit the tracking devices, but he fully intended to kill them both if he ever caught sight of them again. He was fairly certain that doing so would still fall well within the Supercommando Codex.

 _"Mar'e"_ he breathed in relief as the little planet finally came into view. He could have gotten there sooner, but after the last run-in he wanted to ensure that they weren't being followed before touching down on the surface. The coordinates sent from Paz had him manuevering his ship through the peaks of a towering mountain range, slowly descending towards a small rocky clearing flat enough to land. The close confines of the mountains would make a quick take-off difficult, and he scanned his sensors one more time before finally setting down. The gentle shudder of the ship powering down woke the Child (who was probably getting hungry again, Dyn realized with a grimace). It looked out the window with wide-eyed fascination for a moment before turning it's attention to the Mandalorian. 

"Come here," he commanded gruffly, easily scooping up the tiny thing to rest it in the crook of his arm. The little green hands held onto the edges of his armor without concern and it made a soft cooing noise as he strode through the cargo door to the planet's surface. He made sure to keep a monitoring eye on the child, even as he assessed the territory around him. His helm would filter out any toxins in the atmosphere to keep him safe, but the child had no such protection. Certainly he didn't think that Paz would send them to a poisonous planet, but he had no idea what species the child even was and therefore couldn't know what might affect it. Better to be cautious. 

Movement to his right caught his eye and he lifted his blaster a little higher, rapid blinking to zoom the screen of his helm in on the figure emerging from a rocky outcropping. A humanoid male stepped out from the cover of the rocks, a female close behind him. Both carried their own blasters that they kept trained on the Mandalorian who had landed in their territory. Dyn supposed he couldn't blame them for their wariness. (The war might be over but that didn't mean that the universe was all sunshine and rainbows). He slowly holstered his blaster, holding his now unoccupied hand up in the universal symbol of surrender. The two rock dwellers kept their distance but seemed to relax a bit at his release of his weapon. 

"State your business," the male called out, gun still trained on the invader, but thankfully now lowered to point more at his legs than his chest. 

"I was sent here by a fellow Mandalorian," Dyn responded, keeping his hand raised.

"Name him!" the male snapped in return and Dyn's jaw clenched. Names were a very personal thing in the Mandalorian culture, and it was not his place to give out the name of another. Yet it could be said that Paz had given him permission ( **Tell then I sent you** ). Still, he hesitated. The male made a sound of impatience and lifted his blaster higher. Dyn decided he would just have to hope he would be forgiven.

"Paz Vizla," he intoned, the audio output of his helm keeping the words flat and cold while internally he suffered over this flagrant disregard for the sanctity of a name.

The male snorted and dropped his blaster arm, although he wasn't quite quiet enough when he muttered to the woman beside him _"makes me want to shoot him more"._ The Mandalorian stiffened and reached for his own weapon but the woman slapped her companions arm in annoyance and holstered her gun to mirror his previous 'we mean no harm' pose. 

"Be welcome then, Mando," she greeted while the man scowled beside her, "we'll cloak your ship for you and then take you to Rona." 

He wasn't sure who Rona was but he allowed the woman to approach anyways. She held out the cloaking device to him, letting him examine it thoroughly before he nodded and handed it back. The woman's curiosity over the bundled child in his arm was obvious, but she said nothing as she activated the mechanism. His ship blended easily into the rocks, and he had to admit that he was impressed with how well it fooled even his armor's advanced sensors. 

The woman indicated that he should follow her into a well hidden entrance in the mountain side, leading into a narrow passageway. His shoulders itched when the man fell into step behind him and he could only hope that the journey would be short. It was his good luck then, when the path opened up into a wider thorough fare not too far in. 

"Will you be able to drive with the child?" The question was one of concern instead of judgement as the woman gestured to the two speeder bikes in front of them. The Mandalorian merely nodded with a grunt. He could drive a speeder with his knees while shooting two weapons; holding a small child was no feat of difficulty. 

She took him at his word and waved him towards the second bike. The male had already mounted the first one and she swung on behind him with the ease of familiarity. To his surprise the man didn't immediately take off and leave him behind but instead waited until he gestured his readiness before leading him through what became a long winding maze of tunnels. He didn't look forward to having to find his way back out if this all went south. 

The two bikes slowed as they approached what was obviously a town built under the mountain. The tunnels had widened considerably and he could now see that buildings had been carved into the walls that surrounded them. More people appeared: walking down the road, standing in front of doorways, leaning out of windows. His guides came to a stop in front of one such building, although he had no idea what made it different from any of the others. He was analyzing the area out of habit as he dismounted (threats, exits, weapons, cover) when another woman appeared in the doorway. 

"Welcome Mando," she greeted warmly, her grin wide and hands spread before her, "my name is Rona."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Mar'e- "At last!"


	3. These hidden places (and hidden fears)

If he was surprised by the comfortable furnishings located in the house within the mountain, he didn't show it. Instead he allowed himself to be led through the building as he kept a strong grip on the child, senses straining for any sign of danger or betrayal. When the woman known as Rona indicated that he should sit and make himself comfortable, he stayed standing. The other two humans had peeled off from the group to leave the Mandalorian alone with her but he still remained alert, even as his body wanted to sink into the cushioned chair with exhaustion.

"I understand your wariness, Mando, but you can rest assured we mean no harm to you or the child," her voice was soft and warm with no helm to impede it. He inclined his head in acknowledgement but made no move to relax, even as she smiled at him and began fussing with heating up what looked to be protein rations.

"Our mutual aquaintence informed me of your pending arrival, and that you would have a youngling in your protection." She held out a bowl of the heated food to him and the child perked up in interest at the smell, reaching his tiny hands toward the sustenance. Dyn sighed softly in defeat but finally sat so that he could more easily help the child to eat. His sensors didn't pick up any taint in the food, and a part of him admittedly appreciated the fact that she had deliberately chosen not to use Paz's name. It was a respectfulness that he took note of. 

"The child is being tracked," he intoned as he used the spoon to encourage it to take smaller bites. (It had an unfortunate tendency to swallow food whole). 

"Thankfully the ore that runs through these mountains creates a barrier for most sensors and trackers," she'd gently eased herself into the seat across from him, "we have a few members of the community who have stayed undiscovered for a number of years." That explained why Paz had risked sending him here then. So long as no one had been able to follow the signal to this out of the way planet, he should hopefully have a bit of time to recharge and figure out what he was going to do about the situation. It took a weight off his shoulders. As much as his Tribe (and now mentally he had somehow started to include this strange green child in that group) was his first priority, his conscience had pricked at the idea of putting more people at risk. 

He took a moment, as the child finished it's food, to examine the woman who was offering them shelter. She was short of stature but her muscled arms and legs spoke of a true strength, and though she dressed in clothes made for ease of movement and protection, they did nothing to disguise the generous curves of her hips and the dip of her waist. Her dark hair had been braided back out of the way but she touched it often, a nervous habit or one of self-comfort. He decided then, as she sat watching the child eat with undisguised warmth in her expression, that he would trust that Paz would not have sent him here if the woman did not deserve his trust. Paz was a Mandalorian to the bone, and as such would never go against the _Resol'nare_ to put one of his Tribe in danger on purpose. 

He didn't flinch when she gently extracted the empty bowl from the now sleepy child. As she led them to a bedroom down the hall he could feel his own eyes drooping with the weight of the past few days. She gestured him into the room but did not enter with him, another show of respect that he appreciated. 

"Rest, Mandalorian, so that we may do what needs to be done."

He closed and bolted the door as she walked away, before his heavy feet dragged him to the bed. The pillows and blankets created a comfy nest on the bed for the already napping child, and he laid his own body on the mattress, a wall of armor and weapons between the door and the child. His eyes closed, and he was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Resol'nare- the 6 tenents at the core of Mandalorian culture
> 
> I keep thinking "ah yes, this chapter we'll see Paz again" and then Dyn takes over. Next chapter I swear!


	4. Where we are found (if only for a little while)

It had been 52 standard hours since he had walked into the mountain, and his appreciation for the woman called Rona had only grown. When he woke (after he and the child had slept 10 hours straight, a minor miracle) she fed them a hefty meal and then immediately offered to show him the path back to his ship in case of emergency. It was yet another instance of her taking his comfort into consideration, but what followed was beyond his expectations. On speeder bikes she took him back the same way he had arrived....and then she showed him three other alternate escape routes, waiting patiently while he programed them all into his navigation system.

Since then, she had endeavoured to keep him and the child comfortable, while also keeping him fed with both food and information. He was impressed with the high-tech computer terminals hidden within the home, but even more so he was impressed with the encrypted messages that came in with regularity from scouts both on planet and off world. It was quickly becoming obvious that this community was not just some peaceful rim colony.

They had settled into the living room that he had first been brought in. The kid amused itself on the rug with toys Rona had borrowed from neighbors while the woman herself had settled into a chair with a datapad, working on expense reports from the locals, or so she had told him. The Mandalorian was utilizing a table in the corner to repair some of the damage to his armor that had occured during their escape. (He had his suspicions on the origins of some of the tools she had offered him, but he said nothing). It had been an hour of companionable silence, broken only by the sounds of his work and the occasional soft conversation between woman and child, before the thud of heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway. He'd tensed, moving quickly to place himself between the child and the door but the woman was already out of range of his protection as she moved towards the approaching entity. 

The distinctive blue color of the heavily armored Mandalorian was the first thing Dyn saw, but instead of relaxing he could only draw in a sharp breath of fear as he watched to woman's hands reach towards the towering warrior's helm. His concern was for naught, it seemed, as her fingers merely skated along the lines of the helmet before dropping to his pauldrons and skimming down the hard metal of his chest plate. Paz's gloved hands had settled on Rona's hips as she finished her assessment.

"No trouble with travel?" She questioned, staring up into the shadowed T of his face plate, her size almost laughably delicate in comparison to his bulk.

"Minimal," came the deep rumble of response, "and how fare you here?" Dyn had the impression that Paz was staring at him now from across the room even as he addressed the woman in front of him. She stepped back then, her smile soft with a sadness that seemed to hide in the edges. 

"It fares well, although I'm certain that you have much to discuss with your Tribesman. I'll watch the youngling while you talk." 

"Stay," he murmured, to Dyn's surprise, reaching back out to pull the woman close to him. "I'm sure my Tribesman would appreciate if his foundling stayed in his sight, and I'd be gratified to have you in mine." His shock wasn't at the implied feeling between the two (he had been nursing a theory since he'd stepped foot in Rona's home), but at the idea that Paz saw the kid as a foundling. _His foundling._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Paz finally makes an appearance. 
> 
> I'm sorry for how short my chapters are guys, but I'm typing it straight into AO3 on my phone and I constantly worry that my work will magically disappear (even when I keep saving the draft) so as soon as I reach a natural pause point, new chapter it is! 
> 
> Hope you're all enjoying, and I hope maybe I strike your own muse into action because we need more fic in this sector! This is the way!


	5. Of Gentle Touches (and Whispered Prayers)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to everyone who took the time to comment, subscribe, and kudos this so far! Sorry for the delay, but I had to decide if I wanted to try to stay in canon or just go completely off board from the show and I'll be honest I still haven't made an actual decision (maybe this will just be a giant interlude between Episode 3 and 4? maybe not?). Either way, I tried to make this one a smidge bit longer for you guys to make up for it. Let me know what you think!

Paz had settled onto the couch, Rona easily fitting herself under his arm as if being there was commonplace and pulling her tablet back into her lap.She should have been uncomfortable pressed up against the harsh Mandalorian armor but instead she seemed completely at ease.The man behind the armor spent a moment just staring down at her in silence before turning to his brother at arms.

“How are the others?” Dyn broke the silence first as he settled into a chair across from them, the child at his feet once more.It was staring up at the larger Mandalorian in awe, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.He made a note to keep an eye on it. He didn’t want to see Paz’s reaction if the kid tried to steal a piece off his armor.

“A few minor wounds, but everyone escaped in one piece,” the other replied, before switching languages, “ _She will understand the need for privacy for this discussion.The Covert has been re-established.I will forward you the coordinates in an encrypted file, in case you need to find us.For the time being, the Mand’alor feels it would be best if you and the child lay low.We need time to decide our next move.”_

What he said made sense. Not only would the Guild be tracking the child, there was a strong chance that the “ex” imperial officer would be utilizing any troopers that he had at his disposal.He couldn’t expect to keep running around the galaxy with the kid in tow.How would he even be able to take on any jobs without putting it at risk? The Tribe could not put another Mando into the Guild after the stunt on Nevarro, but it could send them to other jobs, protection gigs and the like.It would slow down their hunt for the Beskar, but it would keep the Tribe afloat.The two Mandalorians tossed plans and options around for a time, the comfort of speaking their sacred tongue adding an ease to the conversation, before Paz suddenly leaned over the woman next to him to point at her screen.

“This equation is wrong,” he murmured, causing her to pause and examine it.With a muttered curse she erased the error and placed the tablet down with a sigh, craning her neck to look up at him.

“Can I ask now?” she said, a small smile playing around the corners of her lips and Paz huffed a laugh in response, his large gloved hand indicating that she should continue.The question was not one that Dyn had expected.

“How’s my boy?” With her words the smile had vanished and he could see the strain in her face as she stared up at the man beside her, her hands clasped tight to one another in her lap. The Mandalorian dropped one of his own hands on hers, squeezing to comfort her as he responded.

“He acquitted himself with honor,” he told her, his voice low and soothing, “and assisted in the escape of his brother and the foundling.A blaster bolt grazed his arm but he is healing nicely and is already back in full armor.I’ve commissioned a new set of bracers for him, to celebrate his first successful skirmish.”The anxiety drained out of her form and she settled back into him.Dyn wondered if they were referring to Paz’s foundling.The boy had been part of the Tribe for a number of years now, brought back with him after the hulking warrior had returned from a stint on a protection detail.He was every bit as dedicated to the Way as his adopted father, and was often on duty guarding the armory with him.He didn’t remember the boy ever talking about living in a community like this, but for most of the foundlings the past was something to be forgotten.After all, the foundlings were the future.Dyn’s thoughts jolted back to the present when Rona spoke again.

“Will you pass along my love?” she requested, and Paz grunted before removing his arm from around her to reach into a pouch by his side.The delicate metal flower that he held out to her wasn’t made of beskar, but the shine of the metal was just as pretty.

“He’s been shadowing our armorer when he’s not on duty,” he explained as he laid the flower in her palm, “I’m sorry I couldn’t bring him, but he sent this along for you.”Even through his helm’s filtration, Paz’s voice was soft with an emotion that Dyn left unnamed.For a moment he thought perhaps he should take the child and let them have the room to themselves for a time, but then Paz was rising from the couch, stretching as he went.Rona rose alongside him, hand wrapped around the bloom with care and her unmasked face showing a flickering of conflicting emotions.

“You have to go,” when she spoke it was more statement than question.The heavily armored Mandalorian before her only nodded, holding his arms open for her to step into him.Her arms would never reach all the way around his thick waist, and her head thunked gently onto his hard chest piece, but she molded her body against his anyways.The gloves on his large hands were not meant for delicate work, but still they laid softly against her hip and the back of her head, holding her against him for a moment.He leaned down, voice soft enough that even Dyn’s armor’s systems could not pick up the words clearly, and the woman nodded against him before stepping back.

“This is the Way,” he intoned as he stared down at her, and yet one of his hands clenched into a fist before releasing, the motion a testament to his feelings.She sighed and stepped forward again, hands reaching towards his helmet and this time Dyn did not fear for his brother’s honor.Rona pulled him down gently, until the cold metal of his forehead rested against hers.

“Go you safe, and stay you safe, and come you safely home,” she murmured, the cadence of a prayer whispering across his face plate.

“Though I wander far from here, safely home I’ll roam,” the behemoth warrior murmured the words in response, and though the sweetness of his tone should have been at odds with the harshness of his armor, instead the distinct dichotomy seemed to only make the sentiment strike truer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we got some more time with Paz! This may have given you all more questions than answers, but rest assured I look forward to fleshing it all out! Thank you all for your support and I hope we continue to grow this glorious little sector of the Star Wars fanon. This is the Way!


End file.
